Bonds that Burn and Bind

Chapter 11 Part 1

Incartha 4 Years Ago
521 A.L
3,500 Y.A. Incartha's True Time

I sat on Night on a small rise in the land that allowed me to see past the jungle's thick canopy to a mountain with an elusive summit that disappeared into the clouds.

They called it Jarbez ez Koonz Sharka or Blood Thorn Mountain and it was home to an ancient race known as the Shadowlings—eight-foot tall beings who possessed great strength and speed, multiple arms, fangs, and glowing red eyes.

Night's flank rose and fell with exertion, a byproduct of yet another long ride we had embarked on. Riding was now one of the few things that brought me pleasure and filled the void that had formed inside my chest from what I suspected was loneliness. The three Jamie's refused to even look in my direction, since returning from our river serpent hunt.

Still, I rather be alone than in the company of Prince Orin, whom my mother had formed an obsession with since his hunting party decided to travel with us to the royal palace of Bahtina.

Thankfully Prince Orin didn't seem to share this desire—denying every dinner invitation she sent and figuring the quickest way out of any conversation she sucked him into.

I couldn't stand how arrogant he was—from the way he walked around, surrounded by all his friends, which now included the three Jamies, to the cocky smirk he always wore on his face.

I hoped Prince Adil was nothing like his brother. The thought of my prince was one of the only things that got me out of bed most days. Although, I had not received a letter from him since arriving in Incartha, despite him promising to send me at least one a day after I landed in Incartha until we met.

I turned back towards the direction of camp and a shadowy figure stepped out from behind a tree. I yelped as Night bucked and I slid off his back, landing in a crouch as he bolted, disappearing into the jungle.

"Night!" I cried as I stood and whirled on Prince Orin sitting atop a grey-speckled horse, dressed in a dark green tunic and long brown pants, which helped him blend in with his surroundings. He wore a look of slight horror as he looked down at me.

"Hurt?"

"No-"

"Come on," he said, stretching his hand out. 'We can catch your horse if we hurry.'"

He pulled me onto the back of his stallion and we took off through the undergrowth.

"Will we be able to find him?" I could not stop the tears that spilled down my face and filled my mouth with the taste of salt. The jungle was rapidly darkening around us. "He's the only friend I got left," I murmured, so Prince Orin could not hear me.

We broke through the undergrowth to a patch of sand running along a jagged cliff that jutted out hundreds of yards above the ocean. Near its edge stood a heart stone as big as me. Unlike Dalmar, heart stones weren't housed in temples guarded by temple keepers. People freely drank from their brilliant blue light pools, without needing any formal training in magic. Because of this, most of Incartha's population practiced magic and relied more heavily on it than any other country in the known world.

Night stood near the stone, grazing on some long seagrass. He lifted his head and began trotting towards us under a sky now swirled with glittery stars.

I vaulted onto the ground and ran, hugging his neck when I reached him.

"If only you cared about your friends as much as your horse."

I turned, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Prince dismounted. "You made the three Jamies hunt the river serpent even when told it was too dangerous."